CEOs Are Getting Younger [infographic]

When you picture a CEO, you probably envision a middle-aged white man with a degree from an Ivy League school — and you’re not wrong. However, the latest crop of CEOs indicates that things might be about to change, at least in terms of age.

The average age of CEOs has declined over the years, from 59 years old in 1980 to 56 years old in 2013. If that doesn’t seem like a significant change, consider some of the more famous CEOs we see in the news every day. Marissa Mayer of Yahoo is 38 years old, Google’s Larry Page is 40, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has yet to hit the big 3-0.

Why is this a good thing? Well, as CEO.com’s infographic indicates, younger CEOs are often innovative and willing to take risks that their older counterparts won’t. On the downside, the decline of older CEOs might mean less input from people with the experience and judgment that comes from a long and prosperous career.

The good news for everyone is that CEO.com says that they’re seeing younger CEOs interacting with older, more experienced chief executives, and pairing themselves with seasoned leaders on their boards of directors, leading to a “best of both worlds” scenario for everyone involved.

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt writes about work-life balance, stress management, and other topics relating to what makes us happy at work. A full-time freelancer, she deals with stress by blurring the lines between life and work to the point where the two spheres are barely separate. The happiest day of her career was when scientists proved that looking at pictures of cute animals makes us more productive.

I definitely agree and think CEO’s should be even younger! if they are qualified why is age so important? As a Senior Manager who has been stuck on the same level for years now because I am not viewed as ‘old enough’ to progress up the company hierarchy, I find it extremely irritating!